Movable bulkhead structure



March 279 1951 J. s. LUNDVALL MOVABLE BULKHEAD STRUCTURE Filed June 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 27, `1951 MOVABLE BULKHEAD STRUCTURE John S. Lundvall, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor to Union Asbestos & Rubber Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 26, 1946, Serial No. 679,502

s claims. (o1. s-ste) This invention relates to a movable bulkhead structure and more particularly to a bulkhead for use in refrigerator cars whereby the same can be used as bunker iced cars, as top iced cars or as ventilated cars.

In my Patent No. 2,328,820 there is particularly described and claimed a construction in which the hatch opening in the top of a refrigerator car is automatically closed when the bulkhead is moved to a retracted position adjacent the end of the car. The present invention constitutes an improvement on the construction of my patent by which the cars can be used as ventilated cars or by which ice can be added more easily to the top of the lading when top icing is desired.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a movable bulkhead structure for refrigerator cars in which the hatch opening on the top of the car is closed against pilfering when the -bulk-` head is retracted but can be easily opened for ventilation or for the introduction of ice.

Another object is to provide a movable bulkhead structure for refrigerator cars in which the hatch opening in the top of the car is automatically closed by a closure plate when the bulkhead is retracted and in which the closure plate is formed with a clcsable opening therethrough for Ventilating the car or for the introduction of ice. According to one feature the opening in the closure plate carries a permanently attached perforated grill to prevent access to the lading while permitting ventilation or the introduction of ice. The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be .more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a partial longitudinal section through one end of a refrigerator car constructed according to the invention showing the bulkhead in extended position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l with the bulkhead in retracted position;v

vWall adjacent/one end. It will be understood that four such hatch openings may be provided, one adjacent each corner of the car top and that any desired type of doors or closures for the hatch openings may be utilized. The car carries ad- -jacent its top one or more tracks I3 extending longitudinally of the car on which a vertical bulkhead I4 isislidably supported. When the car is to be used as a bunker iced car, the bulk- Figure 3 is a top plan view of the closure plate;

2 head I4 may be moved to a position at one side of the hatch opening spaced from the end wall I!! of the car and may be latched in that position,

as described in my Patent No. 2,328,820. vAt this time lading may be placed in the central lading `compartment of the car as indicated at I5 and the bunker space between the bulkhead and the car end wall may be filled with ice through the hatch openings as indicated at I5. f

When the car is to be used as a ventilate car or as a top iced car, the bulkhead I4 may be retracted to a position adjacent the end Wall I0 of the car as shown in Figure 2. At this time the entire car may be filled with lading as indicated at I'i.

To prevent access tothe lading compartment of the car when the bulkhead is retracted, a closure plate I8 may be provided. As best seen in Figure 3, the closure plate may be of a size to extend from side to side of the car and may be slidably supported at its ends on tracks I9 at the lading side of the hatch opening. Hooks 2I vcarried by the closure plate mayconnect it to the top of the bulkhead so that as the bulkhead is moved to its retracted position the closure plate will bel slid on the tracks to a position underlying the hatch opening, as seen in Figure 2.

In order that the car may be ventilated or that ice may easily be introduced to cover the lading the closure plate I8 is provided with openings 22 to register with the hatch openings I2. As shown in Figure 3, the closure plate may have an opening 22 adjacent each end thereof to register with the hatch openings at the opposite sides of the car. Each of the openings 22 has secured under it a perforated grill or grating 23 which is permanently attached to the closure plate. The openings in the gratings 23 ymay be 'of such a size as to prevent access of a person `blown into the car adjacent its endsY as well as from the center door openingso that the lading can be uniformly covered from end to end of the car.

The openings in the closure plate may preferably be closed when desired by solid closure members movably connected to the plate. As shown, the closure members comprise solid doors 24 hinged at 25 tothe closure plate at the sides of the openings remote from the end of thecar.

When the closure plate Ais beneath the hatch openings, as shown in Figure 2, the doors 24 may swing up into the hatch openings so that air may circulate'freely through the car or so that ice can. be. .introduced through the gratings.

When ventilation is not desired, the doors 24 may be closed to block ovv of air through the openings.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is not intended as a denition of the scope ofthe invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a movable bulkhead structure for use in a refrigerator car having a hatch opening in its top, a vertical bulkhead, means movably mounting the bulkhead in the car for movement from an extended position at one side of the hatch 'opening to a retracted position at the other` side of the hatch opening, a hatch closure movably mounted in the upper part of the car and confnected to the bulkhead to be moved thereby to a 'position underlying the hatch opening when the bulkhead is moved to its retracted position, the hatch closure having an opening in the car top when the bulkhead is in its retracted position, therein to register with the hatch opening, and a movable closure for the opening in the hatch closure movably connected to the hatch closure.

2. In a movable 'bulkhead structure for use in a refrigerator car having a hatch opening in its top, a vertical bulkhead, means movably mounting the bulkhead in the car for movement from an extended position at one side of ther hatch opening to 'a retracted position at the other side of the hatch opening, a hatch closure movably mounted in the upper part of the car andv connected to the bulkhead to be moved thereby to a position underlying the hatch opening when the bulkhead is moved'to its retracted position, the hatch closure having an opening in the car top when the bulkhead is in its retracted position, therein to register with the hatch opening, and a door pivoted to the hatch closure to close the opening therein and adapted to swing up into the hatch opening.

3. In amovable bulkhead structure for use in a refrigerator car having a hatch opening in its top, a vertical bulkhead, means movably mounting the bulkhead in the car for movement from an extended position at one side of the hatch opening to a retracted position at the other side of the hatch opening, a hatch closure movably mounted in the upper part of the car and connected to the bulkhead to be moved thereby to a 'position underlying the hatch opening when the bulkhead is moved to its retracted position, at least that portion of the hatch closure which "registers with the hatch opening being per- Iforated.

4. In amovable bulkhead structure for use in aurefrigerator car having a hatch vopening in its t'opQa vertical bulkhead.' .n'ieans'rnovabhr mounting the bulkhead in the car for movement from 'an extended position at one- .side of the. hatch 'the bulkhead is moved to its retracted' position, at least that portion of the hatch closure which 'registers with the hatch opening: being perfor'rated, and a solid closure member movably connected to the hatch closure to close the perforated portion thereof.

` A5. InA a movable Vbulkhead structure for use in arefrigerator car having a hatchbpening ii'le of this patent:

4 in its top, a vertical bulkhead, means movably mounting the bulkhead in the car for movement from an exten-ded position at one side of the hatch opening to a retracted position at the other side of the hatch opening, a hatch closure movably mounted in the upper part of the car and connected to the bulkhead to be moved thereby to a position underlying the hatch opening when the bulkhead is moved to its retracted position, at least that portion of the hatch closure which registers With the hatch opening being perforated, and a solid door hinged to the hatch closure to close the perforated portion thereof and adapted to swing up into the hatch opening.

6. In a movable bulkhead structure for use in a refrigerator car having a hatch opening in its top, a vertical bulkhead, means for mount'- ing the bulkhead in a car for movement from an extended position at one side of the hatch open-'- ing to a retracted position at the other side -of the hatch opening, tracks adjacent the top of the car at said one side of the hatch opening', a vhatch closure plate slidably supported on the tracks and connected to the bulkhead to be moved to a position underlying the hatch opening when the bulkhead is in its retracted position, the hatch closure plate having an opening therein to register with the hatch opening, and a door movably mounted on the closure plate to close the opening therein.

7. In a movable bulkhead structure for use in a refrigerator car having a lhatch opening inits top, a vertical bulkhead, means for mount.- ing the bulkhead in a car for movement from an extended position at one side of the hatch'open.-

ling to a retracted position at the other side -of the hatch opening, tracks adjacent the top of the car at said one Yside of the hatch opening, a hatch closure plate slidably supported on the tracks and connected to the bulkhead to be moved to a position underlying the hatch opening when the bulkhead is in its retracted position, the hatch closure plate having an opening therein to register with the hatch opening, and a perforated grating covering the opening.

8. In a movable bulkhead structure for use in a refrigerator car having a hatch opening in its top, a vertical bulkhead, means for mounting the bulkhead in a car for movement from an eX- tended position at one side of the hatch opening to a retracted position at the other side vof the hatch opening, tracksadjacent. the top of the car at said one side of the hatch opening, a hatch closure plate slidably supported on the tracks and connected to the bulkhead to be moved to a position underlying the hatch open.- ing when the bulkhead is in its retracted posi'- tion, the hatch closure plate having an opening thereinA to register with the hatch opening, a perforated grating covering the opening, and

a door movably mounted on the plate to. cover REFERENCES CITED The yfollowing, references are of record in the UNITED s'rA'rEs PATENTS. y I

' 'Date'y '843,139 Feldman Feb. 5,;1907 2,238,700 Lundvall Apr. 15, 1941 2,328,820

Lundvall Sept. '7. 1943 

